Mablethorpe man, 80, sentenced for breaching Sex Offenders’ Register

A Mablethorpe pensioner on the Sex Offenders’ Register, failed to tell police that he had spent more than seven days away from his home and had stayed in a house with children under 18.

Leslie Trevenen Marks, 80, of Mayflower Way, admitted the offences under the Sexual Offences Act when he appeared at Skegness Magistrates’ Court.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said Marks had been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years in 2010 after a conviction for indecent exposure.

He said that he was visited by risk managers and advised what he had to do while he was on the register, but when they visited him in April 2015, he was not at home and they were told he had been away for several days.

When they saw him they discovered he had been regularly staying for several days at a time at an address in Bolton in Lancashire with his son and daughter in law at Christmas and Easter every year since being placed on the register.

He also admitted that at some time when he was there, the grandchildren of the owners were present.

Mitigating, Terry Boston said the offences had been committed ‘out of confusion’.

“He was of the view that he could not stay more than seven days and he never has,” Mr Boston told Deputy District Judge Appleyard.

“He didn’t realise the number of days is accumulative over a year and he has been staying for a total of 12 to 14 days a year over two visits.”

He said Marks did not report his absences because he didn’t realise he had to and he had not been aware the grandchildren of the owner were going to be there.

“There’s been no mischief and no intent,” said Mr Boston.

After hearing that the order had now finished, the judge told Marks he would ‘take a lenient view’ and fined him £280 and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £28 victim surcharge.